Developmental and Morphological Characterization of the Wild Silkmoth, Actias gnoma, in Korea

The wild silkmoth, Actias gnoma was firstly collected at Suwon located in the middle part of Korea. The developmental and morphological characteristics of A. gnoma reared under the laboratory conditions were analysed. The egg shape was shorter elliptic. The major and minor diameter of the eggs were 2.04 mm and 1.83 mm, respectively. White mucous material was remained inside the eggs after hatching. Also, the body color of the larvae was completely changed from dark brown to light yellowish-green at the 3rd instar, but it did not occur until pupation. In the feeding test on several plants, the oak tree, Quercus acutissima, was newly identified as a host plant. The final larval instar was mostly 6th, but in some larvae it was 7th. A few of larvae ate their own casts just after ecdysis. The whole larval duration ranged from 45 to 59 days. The single cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell percentage were 1.65 g,31.3 cg and 18.9%, respectively, The cocoon shape and color were spindle and light brown, respectively. The morphology of the silk gland was greatly different from those of Bombyx mori, Antheraea yamamai and Antheraea peryi: the thickness of the middle and posterior silk glands was almost identical.